Buying a Home is the Most Stressful Event of Modern Life

Buying a home is the most stressful event of modern life, but the right real estate agent can alleviate some of that stress and make the home-buying process more exciting than anxiety inducing.

When it comes to stressful life events, you might think applying for a job, hosting Thanksgiving dinner, and applying for college are all top of the list.

And yet, all of those are less stressful than buying your first home, according to a survey by Homes.com. For 33 percent of respondents, the home-buying process was so nerve-wracking that they actually shed a few tears. Another 44 percent felt nervous throughout the whole process.

“At the end of the day, buying a home is often the largest purchase the average American will experience in their lives,” said David Hoegerman, Homes.com senior manager of content. “While it can be stressful and overwhelming, there are steps people can take to alleviate the tears and the arguments that are bound to arise.”

No matter what you do, some part of the home buying process is going to be stressful. It’s just part of the process when you’re spending so much money. But it turns out that the stress is concentrated in the length of the process and how they felt when they lost a home they wanted to buy.

Nearly 40 percent of first-time homebuyers found the process to be far longer in duration than they expected. Buyers looked at an average of six properties before settling on “the one.” Almost 30 percent failed to get the desired property they put in for and the number one reason why was that their offer was too low. For those that did get their desired property, 10 percent suffered from buyer’s remorse and 13 percent think they overpaid. Home buyers had an average of 4 arguments during the process of purchasing their home. Stress points abound.

Most of these issues stem from confusion about the process, but there’s another issue. Only one in five homebuyers approached the process of looking for their new home with confidence. “First-time homebuyers are often stressed and overwhelmed when making such a large purchase like a home. As a result, they are looking for guidance and assistance to help make the process easier and smoother,” said Hoegerman. I’d have to agree that with the guidance of a great real estate agent the home-buying process doesn’t need to be so stressful.

A long discussion about budget, needs, desires and timelines can help reduce stress and instill reasonable expectations for the home-buying process. Buyers should feel comfortable bringing up any questions or concerns to their agents, that’s why a personal connection that establishes trust is so important. Demystifying home-buying can make the process less stressful for homebuyers and more of what it should be – an exciting search for a home to own.